King Charles III won’t pay 40% inheritance tax on £641 million estate
A government spokesperson said "the Monarchy as an institution needs sufficient private resources to enable it to continue to perform its traditional role in national life".
With the nation in mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III has inherited her position as head of state.
His Majesty has also inherited most of the Queen’s multi-million-pound estate, which is reported to be worth £641 million by AS News.
This includes a mixture of public and private assets, with the late Monarch having reportedly ammassed tens of millions in private wealth through art and racehorses and other assets throughout her lifetime.
But while ordinary British citizens are required by law to pay a 40% tax on inheritance over £325,000, this won’t be the case for the new monarch.
The reason is thanks to a 1993 change in royal inheritance law that prevents a depletion of royal funds in the case of royal deaths in quick succession.
Despite being introduced by the John Major government nearly 20 years ago, the change was not applied until 2002 following the death of the Queen Mother. Now it is being applied again, effectively depriving the Treasury of a windfall.
Speaking to The Express, a government spokesperson said that requiring the Moarch to make an inheritance tax payment would ‘inappropriate’.
In a comment given to the paper, the Government explained: “Some assets are held by the Queen as Sovereign rather than as a private individual.
“They are not sold to provide income or capital for the personal use of the Queen and pass from one Sovereign to the next.
“The official residences, the Royal Archives, the Royal Collection of paintings and other works of art and other assets held by the Queen in right of the Crown fall into this category.
“It would clearly be inappropriate for inheritance tax to be paid in respect of such assets.”
However, a spokesperson also said that the new King would also be exempt from paying tax on private assets because “the Monarchy as an institution needs sufficient private resources to enable it to continue to perform its traditional role in national life”.
They added another reason for the exemption is to ensure the monarch has “a degree of financial independence from the Government of the day.”
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Any relatives beyond King Charles II, however, will still be required to pay tax on inherited assets.
The Government outlines: “In relation to assets which can properly be regarded as private, the arrangements provide that inheritance tax will not be paid on gifts of bequests from one sovereign to the next, but will be payable on gifts and bequests to anyone else.
“Tax will also not be payable on assets passing to the Sovereign on the death of a consort of a former Sovereign.
“The reasons for not taxing assets passing to the next Sovereign are that private assets such as Sandringham have official as well as private use, and that the Monarchy as an institution needs sufficient private resources to enable it to continue to perform its traditional role in national life, and to have a degree of financial independence from the Government of the day.”
Feature image – BBC
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New free app launches to help people find the best nature spots in and around Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A new free app has launched to help people find, discover, and visit nature on their doorstep.
Wildling is aiming to be a simple one-step solution to the growing mental health crisis and the urgent need to care for the natural world.
By helping people visit nature more easily, and giving them tools to truly connect with it at this same time, Wildling is well on its way to supporting personal wellbeing and the joy of easily discovering nature across the UK, all while nurturing a sense of care and action for the planet.
Supported by partners including the RSPB, Marine Conservation Society ,and Forestry England, and backed by advisors and environmentalists like Ben Goldsmith, Eden Project founder Tim Smit, and Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden, the new app brings the UK’s wild spaces and hidden green spots together in one place.
A new free app has launched to help people find the best nature spots in Manchester / Credit: Kitera Dent | Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
Featuring more than 1,500 locations across the country, from coastlines and woodlands, to nature reserves, the app also includes a wide range of tips to help you make your time in nature easier, more enjoyable, and more meaningful.
The app has been created with the input of research carried out by the University of Derby, based on responses from more than 68,000 adults across England over two years.
The study found that people who spend time in nature every day report up to 22% greater life satisfaction, 17% higher happiness, and an average uplift of around 19% in overall wellbeing, compared to those who rarely go out.
Regular time in nature was also found to have a ‘striking’ effect on pro-environmental behaviour too, according to the survey.
Wildling was created by impact entrepreneur Ant Rawlins who wanted to make accessing nature ‘easier’ for everyone.
“We wanted to give people the tools to engage with nature by making it genuinely easy to visit, by showing them nearby nature places and giving them everything they need to make it happen,” says Ant Rawlins commented.
Wildling connects Mancs to the outside world and all it has to offer / Credit: Sol Stock (Supplied)
Ant said the study shows that spending more time in nature just a nice idea, it makes you happier, increases your satisfaction with life, lifts your overall wellbeing, and encourages you to look after the world around you.
“That’s exactly why Wildling was created,” he concluded.
The Wildling app is available now to download for free through the App Store and Google Play, and you can find out more here.
Featured Image – Shironosov (Supplied)
News
Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo’s adorable baby snow leopard who went viral last week could very well be about to go viral again.
That’s because new footage of it venturing outside for the first time have been released.
After arriving to first-time parents Nubra and Yashin, who are both three-years-old, last month (10 June 2025), keepers at Chester Zoo said mum and cub had mostly spent their time quietly tucked away in a cosy den, away from the eyes of the onlooking public – but now, it’s time for the little one to see what the outside world is all about.
Now, at seven-weeks old, the cub has gained in strength and confidence, and experts expected that it could venture outside at ‘any moment’.
Zookeepers are still yet to confirm the sex of the cub, and will be able to do soon once it has undergone its first health check-up with the vets.
We can also expect to hear one the little one’s name is very soon too.
If you’re unfamiliar with snow leopards, they are classed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and it’s believed there are as few as 4,000 now remaining in the wild.
Nicknamed the ‘ghosts of the mountains’, these elusive – but adorable – big cats are found in the rugged, remote regions of Central Asia and the Himalayas – but sadly, despite being known for living in desolate, harsh environments, they continue to face threats from habitat loss, climate change, poaching, and retaliatory killings by farmers.
Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time / Credit: Chester Zoo
The cub’s birth follows the opening of Chester Zoo’s Himalayan habitat in May 2024, which is a vast, rocky environment that authentically recreates the mountainous terrain of Central Asia.
“This is the first snow leopard cub to be born at Chester Zoo,” commented Dave Hall, who is the Team Manager of carnivores at Chester Zoo, last week when the adorable hidden den cam footage was first released to the public.
“It’s a truly historic moment and a real cause for celebration – not just for our teams here, but also for the future of this magnificent species globally.”
Although it’s still early days, carnivore experts at the zoo say Nubra is showing ‘excellent maternal instincts’ by nursing her new arrival every few hours and always keeping close by.
Georgina Pellant -
13th September 2022 
